Students at Springfield primary school held a parent concert yesterday, celebrating their progress at learning a musical instrument with Rocksteady Music School.
They were formed into bands, playing guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and were fronted by singers. This is a great opportunity: playing in front of an audience is a completely different experience from practising an instrument on your own. It builds confidence, and the band leaders were instilling positivity into students at every turn.
They put on a phenomenal performance, with students playing songs that they had been learning for months – like Survivor – Eye of the Tiger, Stitches – Shawn Mendes, and Bonjovi – Living on a Prayer.
Last year, I met with Scott Monk, CEO of Rocksteady Music School, and we discussed how important it is to have child-centred learning. Seeing it in practice at Springfield primary school was amazing, and the positive impact on the young people they teach was clear.
I look forward to attending a student concert again soon!
I also had a discussion with Mr Blackwell, Headteacher of Springfield Primary School, about smartphone use in schools. Like many students and parents, they have concerns about the disruption smartphones can cause in schools. We spoke about their policy to ensure smartphone-free learning, and I will feed back their experiences to the government – which is currently holding a consultation.